Energy-absorbing shoulder strap system

ABSTRACT

An improved energy-absorbing shoulder strap system includes a strap portion and a shoulder pad portion. The strap portion has a length with two ends adapted for attachment to a load. The shoulder pad portion includes a lower member having an inner surface oriented toward and against a shoulder of a user and an outer surface oriented away from the user. The shoulder pad portion further includes an upper member having an inner surface facing toward and spaced away from the outer surface of the lower member. The upper member further includes a structure to retain the strap portion in a region along its length. One or more compressible elements disposed between the inner surface of the upper member and the outer surface of the lower member. Such compressible elements may include a plurality of metal or plastic springs or an array of compressible foam or rubber-like elements. A peripheral apron may be used to disguise or protect the one or more compressible elements.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to shock-absorbing shoulder straps and, in particular, to an energy-absorbing shoulder strap system with one or more compressible elements disposed in a shoulder pad portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are a number of shock-absorbing shoulder strap designs, but they place elastic or energy-absorbing material in the strap itself. One example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,608. As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the shoulder strap “buffering device” of the '608 patent is composed of a seat 10, two springs 13, an inner confining member 14, and a cover 16. The seat 10 is provided with a receiving slot 11, a plurality of parallel grooves 12, and a long hole 17 which is engaged with one end of an upper shoulder strap 20. The springs 13 are located in the grooves 12. The inner confining member 14 is disposed in the receiving slot 11 of the seat 10 such that the arresting projections 15 of one end of the inner confining member 14 urge one end of each spring 13, and that another end of the inner confining member 14 is extended outside the seat 10. Another end of the inner confining member 14 is provided with an elongated hole 18 which is engaged with one end of a lower shoulder strap 30. The cover 16 is fastened to the top of the receiving slot 11 for locating the springs 13 and the inner confining member 14. The inner confining member 14 is provided with a frame 141 capable of pushing the springs 13. The cover 16 is provided with a long slot 161 for locating the springs 13.

A different approach is set forth in Published U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0199662. As shown in FIG. 5, a case 10 is used to represent any load to be supported by a shoulder strap 11, generally in a region 12 resting upon the shoulder. The shoulder strap 11 is shown to be connected by two shock-absorbing or cushioning devices 13 and 14 to the case 10. While in the embodiment illustrated, the two devices 13 and 14 are shown to be different devices, the same kind of device may be provided at each end. The device 14 includes a snap book 15 engageable with a ring 16 on the case. The device 13 has a D loop 17 which is attached to the case 10 by a strap 18 passing through that D loop and stitched onto the case. In the event of a shock from, for example, a sudden drop of the case 10, the energy of that shock will be partly dissipated by compression of the springs within the devices 13 and 14 and those devices will prevent the shock forces from being transmitted fully to the strap 11 and thus prevents stress where the strap 11 passes over the shoulder at 12.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention improves upon existing shock-absorbing shoulder strap configurations by providing the energy-absorbing system in the shoulder-contacting portion (the shoulder pad) as opposed to the strap itself. This not only obscures the solution in a conventional design but provides for additional comfort during use.

An energy-absorbing shoulder strap system according to the invention includes a strap portion and a shoulder pad portion. The strap portion has a length with two ends adapted for attachment to a load. The shoulder pad portion includes a lower member having an inner surface oriented toward and against a shoulder of a user and an outer surface oriented away from the user. The shoulder pad portion further includes an upper member having an inner surface facing toward and spaced away from the outer surface of the lower member The upper member further includes a structure to retain the strap portion in a region along its length.

One or more compressible elements disposed between the inner surface of the upper member and the outer surface of the lower member. Such compressible elements may include a plurality of metal or plastic springs or an array of compressible foam or rubber-like elements. The structure used to retain the strap portion in a region along its length may include stitching, cluing or other to processes permanently bond the strap portion to the upper member, or a sleeve in the upper member through which the strap portion slides. A peripheral apron may be disposed between the upper and lower members to disguise or protect the one or more compressible elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing that depicts a prior-art shock-absorbing shoulder strap design described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,608 with a shoulder bag;

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a sectional schematic view of the invention of FIG. 1 in combination;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the invention of FIG. 1 in operation;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view diagrammatically showing a case provided with a shoulder strap in accordance with the invention disclosed in Published U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0199662;

FIG. 6 is a simplified perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the invention using a strap portion that slides through an upper member;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the invention using a plurality of compressible elements, in this case an array of plastic or metal springs; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a different preferred embodiment of the invention using a plurality of compressible elements, in this case an array of foam or rubber-like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

Having discussed the prior-art structures of FIGS. 1-5, the reader's attention is directed to FIG. 6, a simplified perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. The system includes a strap portion 602 having a length with two ends 603 adapted for attachment to a load (not shown). Any type of load, be it a bag, suitcase, or other transportable case may be accommodated.

A shoulder pad portion 604 a lower member 606 having an inner surface 608 oriented toward and against a shoulder of a user and an outer surface 610 oriented away from the user 700 (FIG. 7). The shoulder pad portion 604 further includes an upper member 612 having an inner surface 614 facing toward and spaced away from the outer surface 610 of the lower member 606. At least one compressible element 616 is disposed between the inner surface 614 of the upper member 612 and the outer surface 610 of the lower member.

The compressible element 616 may be any type of shock-absorbing pad material, including one or more metal, plastic, or other composite springs or pieces of foam, rubber, or the like, as described in further detail below.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 6. The upper member 612 further includes a structure to retain the strap portion in a region along its length. In FIG. 7, stitching, gluing or other process is used to permanently bond the strap portion 602 to the upper member 612, either at the ends or at varying insertion sites along the length of 612. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8, the upper member 804 may include a sleeve through which strap portion 802 slides. In all embodiments, a peripheral apron of material is preferably disposed between the upper and lower members to disguise or protect the one or more compressible elements. If the strap portion is bonded to the upper member, the apron 702 may be between the lower member and strap portion, as shown in FIG. 7. If the strap slides, the apron 810 may be between the lower and upper members, as shown in FIG. 8.

The preferred embodiments of the invention use a plurality of compressible elements as opposed to a single element for improved weight distribution and energy absorption. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of such an embodiment utilizing an array of plastic or metal springs 902. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a different preferred embodiment of the invention using a plurality of compressible elements, in this case an array of foam or rubber-like elements 1002. 

1. An energy-absorbing shoulder strap system, comprising: a strap portion having a length with two ends adapted for attachment to a load; a shoulder pad portion including a lower member having an inner surface oriented toward and against a shoulder of a user and an outer surface oriented away from the user; the shoulder pad portion further including an upper member having an inner surface facing toward and spaced away from the outer surface of the lower member; the upper member further including a structure to retain the strap portion in a region along its length; and one or more compressible elements disposed between the inner surface of the upper member and the outer surface of the lower member.
 2. The energy-absorbing shoulder strap system of claim 1, wherein the structure to retain the strap portion in a region along its length includes stitching, gluing or other to processes permanently bond the strap portion to the upper member.
 3. The energy-absorbing shoulder strap system of claim 1, wherein the structure to retain the strap portion in a region along its length includes a sleeve in the upper member through which the strap portion slides.
 4. The energy-absorbing shoulder strap system of claim 1, the one or more compressible elements includes a plurality of metal or plastic springs.
 5. The energy-absorbing shoulder strap system of claim 1, the one or more compressible elements includes an array of compressible foam or rubber-like elements.
 6. The energy-absorbing shoulder strap system of claim 1, further including a peripheral apron between the upper and lower members to disguise or protect the one or more compressible elements. 